pret-a-porter vs. haute couture

Other put: Ready-to-wear vs. High-fashion.
Not that i give a fuck, and probably I'm in those 1% that didn't know what these 2 mean, but anyway:

These are two fashion design terms that refer to two different styles of creating and marketing clothes.

Dior Pret-a-Porter outfit




















pret-a-porter
- mass produced
- industrial manufactured
- are used as a commercial product, to ensure profitability


haute couture
- exclusive custom made clothes
- hand made
- rarely sold, are used mostly in fashion shows to represent the producer's identity and brand

The difference is clearly visible when comparing them. Haute Couture clothes are made of superior fabrics with strange accessories, outfits you rarely get to see on the streets, pret-a-porter being just quality outfits that fit the preferences of a large segment of people.

Dior Haute Couture outfit

Alien Hand Syndrome

Symptoms: Also called "Anarchic hand", AHS is an unusual neurological disorder that causes ones hand to act on it's own. The sufferers feel that they have no control over the hand and it acts independently. The hand can perform complex actions: undoing buttons, using different tools, removing clothes. The most interesting thing is that a person in cause could not be aware of what he's hand is doing unless it's doing something that draws his/hers attention, like slapping his own face.
Cause: Alien hand syndrome occurs due to damage in the medial motor frontal region of the brain. It is theorized that Alien Hand Syndrome results when disconnection occurs between different parts of the brain that are engaged in different aspects of the control of bodily movement.
Treatment: There is no viable treatment for this symptom. The only way the sufferers can diminish the effects are by keeping the hand busy all the time, like holding a small object, or keeping it in your pocket.

Ferdinando Scianna

Ferdinando Scianna: "A photograph is not created by a photographer. What they do is just to open a little window and capture it. The world then writes itself on the film. The act of the photographer is closer to reading than it is to writing. They are the readers of the world."

Scianna is a member of Magnum Photo

The creator of monsters and chimeras

Hieronymus Bosch (real name Jeroen van Aken) (1450 – August 9, 1516)

Bosch was an early Netherlander painter. It's main inspiration came from human's depravity and lechery nature. Living in a time ruled by a Church with severe beliefs, it's paintings often picture humans being punished for their lustful sins and miserable lives by imaginary monstrous creatures. Hieronymus' paintings are crowded, with dense use of symbolic figures, hard to understand and perceive.

Below, one of its most famous works - "The Garden of Earthly Delights", capturing in essence the guidelines of Hieronymus' beliefs and art.

Ducati 916 is sex

The Ducati 916, launched in 94, really set the motorcycle world alight with its innovations both mechanical and in the design. Considered one of the most beautiful motorcycles of all time, it was also very competitive, reigning the '90 superbike championships. Designed by Massimo Tamburini, the 916 is the first bike to have its exhaust under the seat and single sided swing arm.
This excellent piece of engineering gave the rival Japanese manufacturers a lesson they'll never forget: it's not the amount of horse power the bike can pull out but the way this power is delivered. The 916 delivered its power in a smooth, linear way, therefore permitting riders to better exit the curves, and really feel what's going on at the rear wheel. Ducati 916 won world championships.

916 Strada 1994: Technical Specifications

ENGINE
Max Power: 114 Hp @ 9000 rpm ( max speed 260 km/h)
Bore and Stroke: 94 x 66 mm
Liquid cooled Displacement: 916 cc
Compression Ratio: 11:1
Timing System: DOCH, Desmodromic 4 valves per cylinder
Inlet Valves: 33 mm
Exhaust Valves: 29 mm
Weber-Marelli electronic injection, single injector per cylinder, 50mm throttle body
12V - 350W electrical equipment with 12 Volt 16 Ah battery
Wet sump forced lubrication, 4 liters oil
Dry, 15 plates, hydraulic actuated clutch
6-speed gearbox

CHASSIS
Tubolar Steel Trellis frame
Front Fork: 43mm Showa GD 051 upside-down
Rear Suspension: Mono Showa GD052-007-02
Front Brake: Double floating Ø 320 with 4 pistons caliper
Rear Brake: Single floating Ø 200 mm
Front Tyre: 120/70-17
Rear Tyre: 190/50-17

flamingos & peacock

Two of the most astonishing creatures on earth.

Peacock: it is the national bird of India. It has been proved that many of the brilliant colors of its plumage are due to an optical interference called "Bragg reflection", sort of an optical illusion.

Flamingos: the color of their feathers comes from the beta-carotene based diet. Flamingos eat mainly shrimp, which is rich in beta-carotene. The color of a healthy and well fed flamingo is vibrantly bright pink. The white or pale pink color of their feathers is a clear sign of bad diet or illness. This often occurs in captivity.